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Snowy Commute: Accidents, Airport Cancellations Reported

By Monday afternoon, more than 450 flights were canceled at O’Hare International Airport and delays of up to 90 minutes were reported. NBC Chicago's Katie Kim reports. (Published Monday, March 23, 2015)

Snowy and icy conditions made for a tough rush hour commute Monday morning as several accidents were reported across the Chicago area, a number of which involved school buses.

The La Porte County Sheriff’s office said it received at least a dozen calls reporting motor vehicle crashes within two hours as snow and ice covered area roadways.

A South Central School bus carrying 33 students was involved in a crash around 8 a.m. while traveling north on County Road 600 W, according to authorities. The bus was rear-ended while waiting to turn into the driveway at the school. No injuries were reported.

Three separate crashes took place near County Road 400 N and U.S. 35, officials said, closing U.S. 35 for about an hour.

Two school bus accidents were also reported in the southwest suburbs during the winter weather.

Community Unit School District 308 said one accident involved a bus carrying seven East View Elementary School students. The accident took place at Harvey and Wolf's Crossing roads, where officials believe a car hit the bus. Officials said no students were injured.

A second accident occurred at Orchard Road and Mayfield Drive in Montgomery, the district said. A bus carrying 26 Boulder Hill Elementary School students was rear-ended by a car, officials said. No injuries were reported.

Other crashes were reported in Chicago’s northwest suburbs, but officials had not yet said if weather was a factor in the accidents.

A single-car crash in Genoa near Derby Line Road and Walnut Street resulted in minor injuries, fire officials said.

Chicago's Department of Streets and Sanitation had more than 280 pieces of equipment out plowing during the morning snowfall.

The snow was expected to taper heading into the afternoon hours, leaving much of the area with 3 to 4 inches of snow. The afternoon and evening commutes should be free of snow, but cold temps will linger throughout the day with highs sitting in the mid-30s.